Shipper lever for looms



`lune l2, 1951 G, (gm- )QRE-r-l-Ey 2,556,466

' SHIPPER LEVER FOR LooMs Filed Sept, 15, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR. GEORGE CADORETTE ATTORNEY June 12, 1951 Q CADORETTE 2,556,466

SHIPPER LEVER FOR Looms Filed Sept. 15, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l JNVENToR; @LURGE CADORETTE ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1951 c anais SHIPPER LEVER FOR LOOMS George Cadorette, Hopedale, Mass., assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application September 15, 1948, Serial No. 49,411

6 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in looms, and more specifically, to a novel shipper lever for a loom wherein manual control is provided at spaced points about the loom for engaging the clutch and releasing the brake, and vice versa,

It is a general object of the inventionto device improved means applicable to a control mechanism such as the shipper lever and its attendant parts in a loom, to render more convenient and more safe the independent releasing and applying of the loom brake from a specific point at the machine.

It is a further object to devise means of the type described by which the shipper lever of the loom which is normally designed to control the clutch and brake functions simultaneously, so as selectively to release and set the brake while maintaining the clutch or other power mechanism inoperative for driving the loom, that is, at such times as the machine is intentionally stopped and the clutch or other power transmitting means disengaged.

It is a further object of the invention to pro- Vide a shipper lever with means by which it malf be employed for releasing the brake when the loom is stopped, and which shall be further adapted to be disengaged by a very simple and convenient manual operation requiring a minimum of eiort, and Which may serve to interconnect the parts again whenever it is desired to operate the loom controlling mechanism in a normal fashion.

It is a further object of the invention to increase the safety with which a loom of the type described may be stopped and, when stopped, may be turned by hand by the usual hand Wheel or the like, while the brake is released and without likelihood of inadvertently starting the mechanism by accidentally engaging the clutch, either by unintentional operation of some part of the clutch control mechanism .at the front of the machine or by the manually operable shipper lever frequently to be found at the back of these looms.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a control means, a safety device which ncludes that part of the mechanism operable manually for disconnecting the brake control from the clutch control means and which, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, then serves after the bra-ke has been released to prevent reengagement of the clutch or other power transmitting mechanism until the parts have had their position intentionally altered.

Most looms are provided with a clutch or Some other means by which the source of power for driving the loom is engaged or interconnected to the loom mechanism and also with a brake which is normally applied as the power is disengaged, and which is then released at a predetermined point during the starting of the loom. Most looms have shipper levers disposed at the front of the machine, one at the left andone at the right hand sides thereof, and another lever at the back of the machine, the construction being such that any one of these is possible of use for engaging the clutch or other power conveying means to start the loom. The shipper levers, all interconnected as they are for engaging the clutch to start the machine, are also interconnected to the brake which is normally at the opposite end of the machine from that at which the power is applied. Separate means is provided for disengaging the brake independently of the application of the clutch by a means positioned at the left hand side only, or at that side at which the brake is located.

Very frequently it is inconvenient for the loom operator to release the brake because he is not at that side of the machine. Even though it is quite possible to do it, the time consumed in moving from one end of the loom to the other merely for the purpose of controlling the brake as the loom is turned by the hand wheel when the operators attention and effort are primarily directed toward parts at the opposite end of the loom,and While he may desire to effect frequent starts and stops thereof, is excessive. It is also decidedly disadvantageous, frequently resulting in or leading to less satisfactory adjustments, and consequently less satisfactory machine ,operation than desired.

According to the invention, one of the shipper levers, preferably and in the normal instance, the right hand shipper lever of the machine and that Ywhich is at the opposite side from the brake, has a manually operable disconnecting means designed to function as a part thereof. This means which may be termed a latch or interconnecting means is primarily applied to a two-part shipper lever, one part of which is fixed to the shipper shaft which runs across the front of the machine, and the other part of which is freely rotatable on that shaft. The freely rotatable portion of the two-part shipper lever has connected at its relatively free end a link which extends therefrom to the clutch operating mechanism, or to disengaging means for that power transmitting device which may be utilized. Of course, the brake at the opposite side of the machine is interconnected to be actuated by the manually operable shipper lever in any accepted and conventional manner.

When the power is to be engaged incidentally 3 to starting the loom and the brake disengaged simultaneously therewith, the two-parts of the shipper lever are interconnected and, in fact, it then functions as a unitary instrumentality. The same applies whenever the machine is to be stopped, that is, whenever the lever is employed for disengaging the clutch and simultaneously applying the brake. At times the machine is stopped and it is desired to turn or move the parts manually and at a relatively slow rate incidentally to effecting various adjustments or to repairing damage to the fabric being woven. At that time the manually controlled interconnecting means which causes the two-part lever to function as a unit is withdrawn to disconnect the parts and the shipper lever moved so as to disengage or release the brake, that releasing motion having no effect whatsoever on the other part of the* lever or upon the power transmitting means so that thel machine will then be free of any braking force other than the friction between its parts, and will be positively disconnected from its source of power.

The. manually operated' connecting means is then released and the construction of co-operating parts is such that it serves the second ofl its dual functions and prevents movement of the part of the lever to which the clutch interconnecting link is attached. The fact that the sh-ipper lever cannot be moved until the manually operable connecting means is intentionally withdrawn makes it virtually impossible for the power transmitting clutch or other power transmitting means to be engaged to start the machine inadvertently.

The invention will be described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawings wherei-n one specific and preferred ernbodiment of the invention has been illustrated.

In the gures:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation taken at the right hand end of the loom showing those parts necessary to establish the relationship thereto of the shipper lever to which the invention is applied, the clutch and its attendant operating linkage.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding elevation taken at the left. hand end of the loom and showing linkage at that position which is employed for engaging and disengaging the brake.

|Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the machine adjacent the right hand shipper lever, the link which extends from the lever to the clutch operating parts and the manually operable latch or engaging plunger which functions to lock the two-part lever together or to disengage it at will.

Fig. 4 is a corresponding perspective View, but showing the parts in the position which they occupy at a time when the brake is disengaged with the loom stopped.

Fig. 5 is a section through a part of the shipper lever adjacent the lower end thereof and showing the detailed construction of the interconnecting plunger.

Fig. 6 is an elevation taken at the right hand end of the loom and showing parts thereof in two different positions.

Fig. 7 is a section through a portion of one of the loomsides and showing stop means which prevents movement of the clutch operating parts beyond a predetermined point.

Now referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the loom comprises among other parts a right hand loomside I 0, a driving clutch indicated by numeral II and of conventional design, said clutch being adapted to convey power from an electric motor (not shown) or from any other convenient source to the fabric-forming mechanism of the loom in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The clutch II is engaged and disengaged by a fork: I2: forming a part of a curved, double-armed lever I3 pvoted at I4 and connected at the end opposite the fork i2 to a joint I5 from which extend two links Its and il. The link I6 extending forwardly of the loom, is bent angularly as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to engage within a hub portion I5, at the lower end of one part I9 of the so-called two-part shipper lever. This shipper lever is generally designated by numeral 20 and comprises in addition to. the. part I9, the longer two-armed lever 2l which is xed at its hub 22 to the shipper sha-fty 23 which extends across the front of the machine being carried in suitable bearings, one of which is indicated at 24. This lever ZI lextends downwardly or at the opposite side of its pivot to termi-nate in a shorter arm 25, the details of which will be more thoroughly described hereinafter. The angularly bent end 26 of the link I5 which projects through the hub I8 may alsoY carry the usual shipper safety lock (not shown). The link I 'I extends toward the rear of the machine and is attached to the rear starting lever 21.

Now referring to Fig. 2', the left hand side of the loom has a correspondingA loom side I8', a brake 28 and a hand wheel 2B by which the machine may be turned manually upon release of the brake and, of course, after the power has been disengaged. A corresponding hand wheel (not shown) may also be provided at the right hand side of the machine.

The right hand shipper lever 2l, xedly attached as described to the shipper shaft 23, has the movement imparted thereto conveyed by the shaft across the front of the loom to a depending arm 30. A second shipper lever SI pivoted at 32, is connected by a short link 33 to the arm 3G so that either of the levers 2l or 3l may be employed to start or to stop the machine. The brake 28 is released or applied through the mechanism shown which comprises a link 3d attached at 35 to a third projecting arm 36 and which is also movable with the lever SI. That link attaches at its opposite end to one arm 3l of an angularly shaped lever pivoted at 38 and having an opposite arm 35i engageable with a link di) which runs from the frog connecting bracket 42 through which it projects and behind which is a spring 3 by which the brake is actuated at bang-off by pulling the link lil toward the front of the machine. An adjusting collar 44 provides for` setting the brake operating means, the design of which has now become more or less standardized and which need not be described here in greater detail.

At the left hand end of the machine a device is provided which is not illustrated here, but which is generally understood by those skilled in the art, and which may be employed for releasing the brake independently of any operation of the shipper levers themselves. No corresponding means has customarily been provided at the right hand end of the machine. Obviously, such means is desirable, and, in accordance with the invention hereinafter to be described in greater detail, a separate means for controlling the brake is made available through the two-part shipper lever Zo. That improved means makes it possible to release the brake after the machine has stopped without moving to the left hand end of the loom and also makes it possible to effect adjustments of the machine with no danger of starting the mechanism accidentally.

Now referring more specifically to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the lever 2| and the arm I9 may be locked together so that they function as a unit by means of a spring pressed, manually operable plunger 45 which projects from a hub or boss 46 intermediate the end of the arm |53. This arm I9 is freely pivoted on shaft 23, the hub 45 being a working-fit on that shaft, and the projection of the plunger 45 within an aperture 48 as the lower end of the arm of the lever 2| serves to lock the parts until they are intentionally disconnected.

The details of the plunger are more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the hub or boss 4S is shown in section. The plunger is reduced in diameter to provide a stem 49 which extends through the end of the boss to have attached thereto a thumb wheel or manually engageable portion 50 by means of which the plunger may be withdrawn into the boss and from the aperture 48, as desired. A spring 5| is normally under sufficient tension when the parts are assembled to maintain the plunger in the position illustrated in these figures or in such position that its enlarged end projects outwardly from the boss and into the opening, if that opening is brought into alignment therewith.

The spring permits the plunger to be withdrawn whenever the parts are to be disengaged and, as illustrated in Fig. 4, such disengagement permits the lever 2| to be moved to that position which it must occupy if the brake is to be released. At such time, and according to certain constructions heretofore suggested, the machine may be turned independently of the source of power, but those constructions have had the disadvantage that they have not wholly prevented accidental displacement of the clutch actuating parts, although in some instances, it may have been relatively diiiicult to effect such displacement. When time is short and those working on the machine resort to all eXpedients in order to expedite their work, the safety latch sometimes provided is not set. Then it only requires a reasonably sharp blow upon the rod or link I6, or parts attached thereto, to start the machine under power. Again, the lever 21 at the back of the machine may be accidentally moved, or may intentionally be employed to start the machine by one not understanding that the loom fixer or operator does not at that time want that to occur.

In order to prevent any such unintended starting and the attendant possibility of accidents, the depending arm 25 of the right hand shipper lever is built up at its front portion to form a lug or boss 52 which is of such extent that after the brake has been disengaged, the release of the small hand wheel 50 by the operator always assures that the plunger 45 returns to a position in front of lug 52 thereby to block olf or prevent any return movement of the clutch engaging parts when the two-part lever occupies the position just described and which is illustrated in Fig. 4. It is to be understood that the lever 2| when pulled forwardly to release the brake is capable of movement only to a limited position, substantially that shown in Fig. 4, and that the lower arm 25 thereof serves very effectively as a stop against which the plunger Q5 bears to prevent unintended movement of the arm i9 and link I8 attached thereto.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in addition to Figs. 3 and 4, a stop 53 is adjustablyv attached in the hub 54 of a bracket 55 connected to the link |6 and adjustable thereon in such manner that the outward or forward movement of the clutch operating parts including link I9 is definitely or positively limited. The stop 53 hits against the flange 56 of the loomside l0. Convenient adjustment is provided by a set screw 5l.

In operation, the two-part lever may be assumed to be interconnected as shown in Fig. 3 and when in such interconnected state, the loom may be started and stopped by employment of the right hand shipper lever or any of the other shipper levers in a conventional manner. Whenever the machine is stopped and it is desired to release the brake for any purposes independently of starting the machine under power, the operator merely grasps the manually engageable button or hand wheel 5|) and pulls outwardly thereon against the tension of spring 5| until the plunger 45 is suinciently withdrawn from aperture 43 so that lever 2| may be pulled to the position shown in Fig. 4. In that position the brake is released, and just as soon as the separation or disconnection of the parts has been accomplished, the practice is to release the part 59 so that the plunger 45 willspring back into place to assume its position in front of the lug or boss 52 thereby to prevent movement of the arm I9 and interconnected parts between that arm and the clutch shifter mechanism, so that there can be no possible unintended ystarting of the machine under power. When it is desired to engage the brake again preparatory to starting the loom or for any other reason, the plunger must intentionally be withdrawn ,and the lever 2| pushed to the innermost position at which time, the plunger will spring into the opening 48 thereby to engage the two-part lever. Of course, at that time thereis likely to be no unintended movement of the arm I9 since the operator will have intentionally engaged the parts manually and, starting of the machine will thereafter be effected in a normal fashion.

It is to be understood that certain changes may be introduced in the details of the mechanism and that, while the right hand shipper lever has been described by way of example, .and reference to a certain type of loom, the invention is equally applicable to other types of looms and the shipper lever may be disposed at some other part of the machine.

Likewise the plunger 45, although described as preferably housed within a boss 48 which forms a part of the arm i9, may be carried by the lower, or other part, of lever 2|, and the aperture 4t may be in the opposite piece, that is, the arm i9. These reversals and other obvious changes may be effected without departing from the original inventive concept.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom Vhaving a power transmitting means and a brake, means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means and simultaneously releasing and applying said brake to start and stop the loom, which comprises a two-part,

manually operated shipper lever, a link from said lever to said means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means, and connections from the lever to the brake, and a manually movable means forming a portion of the lever for permitting one part thereof to be moved independently of the other when said manually movable means is withdrawn, and, when released while the brake is off and the power transmitting means disengaged, serving to prevent movement of either part of the lever until the said manually movable means is again withdrawn.

2. In a loom having a power transmitting means and a brake, means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means and simultaneously releasing and applying said brake to start and stop the loom, which comprises a two-part, manually operated shipper lever, a link extending from one part of said lever to interconnect it to the power transmitting means and other means positively actuated by said shipper lever and interconnected to the brake for applying and releasing it, and a manually movable latch member supported within one of said lever parts and engageabie within a complementary portion of the other part for interconnecting the said two parts of the lever so that they are constrained to move as a unit, but which serves upon withdrawal, to release the lever parts for independent movement.

3.1n a loom having a power transmitting means and a brake, means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means and simultaneously releasing and applying said brake to start and stop the loom, which comprises a two-part, manually operated shipper lever, a link from one part of said lever interconnecting it to the power transmitting means and other means positively actuated by said shipper lever and interconnected to the brake for applying and releasing it, and a manually movable member carried by one of said lever parts and engageable within a complementary portion of the other of said parts for interlocking the said lever parts so that they move as a unit, but which serves upon withdrawal of said member to release the lever parts for independent movement, one part of said lever having a portion thereof so disposed that when the lever is moved to release the brake independently of movement of the power transmitting means, it functions in conjunction with said manually movable member to prevent unintended movement of the said transmitting means until the said interlocking member is manually withdrawn.

4. In a loom having a power transmitting means and a brake, means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means and simultaneously releasing and applying said brake to start and stop the loom, which comprises a two-part, manually operated shipper lever, a shipper shaft, one part of said lever being fixed to said shaft and adapted to move that shaft to control the brake, the other part of said lever being freely movable on said shaft and having attached at its free end a link extending to the means for engaging and disengaging the said power transmitting means, and a manually movable latch member carried by one of said lever parts and engageable within a complementary portion of the other part when it is desired to operate said levers as a unit, but serving upon withdrawal, to release the lever parts for independent movement.

5. In a loom having a power transmitting means and a brake, means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means and simultaneously releasing and applying said brake to start and stop the loom, which comprises a two-part, manually operated shipper lever, a shipper shaft extending along the length of said loom, one part of said lever comprising a shipper handle and having two oppositely directed arms, the said one part being xedly attached to said shaft, the other of said lever parts comprising an arm freely movable upon said shaft and having at its opposite end a connection within which is operatively engaged one end of a link, the other end of which is attached to the means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means, and a manually movable plunger carried within a boss projecting from the said freely movable lever part, spring means for urging said plunger toward the adjacent arm of the other lever part, a complementary opening in said other lever part within which said plunger may be engaged when released, and an abutment on said lever part adjacent the said complementary aperture engageable with the plunger when said parts are disconnected and when one has been moved to a position for disengaging the clutch while the power transmitting means is also in its inoperative position and serving to prevent unintended return movement thereof.

6. In a loom having a power transmitting means and a brake, means for engaging and disengaging said power transmitting means and simultaneously releasing and applying said brake to start and stop the loom, which comprises a two-part. manually operated, shipper lever, a shipper shaft extending along the length of said loom, one part of said lever comprising two arms oppositely directed and connected iixedly to said shaft for engaging and disengaging the brake through that shaft, the other of said lever parts comprising a depending arm freely movable about said shaft and having Va hub portion at its lower end to which is connected a link extending to the means for engaging and disengaging the power transmitting means, and a manually movable latch member carried within a boss forming a part of said depending arm, the said latch member comprising a plunger, a thumb wheel for engaging the plunger manually to withdraw it and a spring normally urging the plunger in a direction to engage within a complementary opening in the adjacent arm of the said first mentioned lever part, and an abutment on that lever part closely adjacent the opening therein and so disposed and of such extent as to be engaged behind the projecting end of the plunger when released, thereby to prevent any unintended movement of the depending lever and the link extending therefrom to the power transmitting means except upon withdrawal of the plunger.

GEORGE CADORETTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,428,410 Zeedyk Sept. 5, 1922 1,620,194 Davis Mar. 8, 1927 1,631,067 `Seville May 3l, 1927 1,834,352 Seville Dec. 1, 1931 2,493,104 Brown Jan. 3, 1950 

